Who is Sara Ellis, the Obama-appointed judge who ordered federal agents to avoid violent encounters with Chicago protesters?

By Dalia Faheid, CNN

(CNN) — The federal judge in Illinois who ordered federal agents to limit aggressive tactics against protesters is known for her stern tone and an extensive career in civil and criminal litigation.

Trump administration officials have defended themselves in court as Judge Sara L. Ellis of the Northern District of Illinois has repeatedly pressed federal officials and demanded explanations for their response to intense protests in Chicago amid “Operation Midway Blitz.”

Ellis has raised concerns a temporary restraining order she issued last month to block agents from using certain types of force against protesters was being violated. The courtroom felt like a principal’s office as Ellis detailed examples of incidents where she felt her order wasn’t being followed.

“I’m not blind, right?” Ellis said.

While Ellis’ approach has been viewed by some as assertive oversight of executive powers, Ellis’ former colleagues who spoke with CNN described her as someone who dispenses evenhanded justice.

During a hearing last week, Ellis cited videos of interactions between agents and crowds, which she said appeared to show agents firing tear gas without notice and with no apparent threat.

“I do not want to get violation reports from the plaintiffs that show that agents are out and about on Halloween, where kids are present and tear gas is being deployed,” Ellis said.

Ellis took on civil rights lawsuits and white-collar criminal defense for nearly 20 years before former President Barack Obama appointed her to the federal bench during his second term. The Canadian-born judge had previously discussed her experience as an immigrant to the US and indirectly addressed President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in his first term.

Since becoming a US district judge, Ellis has taken on noteworthy cases ranging from Covid-19 restrictions to immigration enforcement.

“Judge Ellis calls the balls and strikes fairly in every case, applying the law without letting personal views play any role,” Corey Rubenstein, a Chicago attorney who has known Ellis for 25 years, told CNN.

Another former colleague, William Ziegelmueller, said Ellis’ response “shows that she views herself as part of the community, not a resident of a lofty ivory tower, and understands that her rulings directly impact the lives of everyone in her community.”

‘Having Sara on the other side was like going to war’

Ellis received her bachelor’s degree in 1991 from Indiana University and her Juris Doctor in 1994 from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, according to the Federal Judicial Center.

Before becoming a judge, Ellis practiced almost exclusively in federal court as a litigator for criminal and civil matters, trying 11 cases to verdict.

After graduating from law school, Ellis began her career as a staff attorney at the Federal Defender Program in Chicago, according to the district court. Ronald Safer, who met her when she was in that position, said she excelled as a young lawyer.

“She is kind and gentle. Her demeanor led some people to underestimate her,” Safer told CNN. “They did so at their peril. Sara was a fierce advocate. She was a whip-smart legal analyst … Having Sara on the other side was like going to war.”

She worked at a white-collar criminal defense law firm for four years before serving as assistant corporation counsel for the City of Chicago Department of Law, where she handled class claims for injunctive relief and civil rights lawsuits. Working for the city was like “living in the eye of the hurricane,” but Ellis “tried to bring order to chaos,” Safer said.

“As a defense lawyer, her compassion for her clients guided her every move,” said Rubenstein, who worked with Ellis at Stetler, Duffy and Rotert, Ltd.

She also worked as an adjunct professor at Loyola University Chicago for several years. Before becoming a federal judge, Ellis worked at another Chicago law firm, where she handled criminal and civil cases.

“She was admired and beloved by her colleagues and her clients,” said Safer, who worked with Ellis at Schiff Hardin LLP. One of her strong suits, he said, was she could talk to a jury as a peer.

Her pro bono work included challenging solitary confinement for extended periods of time and advocating for the inclusion of female baseball players on high school baseball teams. She also volunteered to represent a Lake County, Illinois, man who Safer said had been wrongfully convicted.

“Ms. Ellis has a distinguished record of pro bono work and community service,” Sen. Dick Durbin said in a news release.

Rubenstein said Ellis “cares about the little guy, the downtrodden as much as any jurist I have known.”

‘I have been a zealous advocate for my clients’

In 2013, Durbin recommended Ellis and Judge Andrea Wood to Obama for judgeship positions, according to the district court. Obama then nominated Ellis on May 6, 2013, to a seat vacated by Joan B. Gottschall.

“Sara Ellis and Andrea Wood are both experienced attorneys in federal court practice,” said former Chief Judge James Holderman in a statement following the nomination. “I have no doubt that they will be outstanding district judges on our court.”

In response to a Senate questionnaire, Ellis said her goal is “to adhere to the rule of law and apply the law in a fair and impartial manner.” She also said she aimed to treat “all litigants with courtesy, respect, and an even hand” and resolve legal issues “promptly, decisively, and after thorough application of the relevant legal principles to the facts at hand.”

“I have been a zealous advocate for my clients regardless of their political beliefs, financial standing, or their role in the case as plaintiff or defendant,” Ellis wrote, adding she has represented members of law enforcement as well as criminal defendants.

At her confirmation hearing, Ellis said she believes a judge should work “efficiently and expediently because justice delayed is justice denied.”

The Senate confirmed Ellis by voice vote in October 2013.

‘I am an immigrant just like you’

Born in Ontario, Canada, to Jamaican-born parents in 1969, Ellis became a US citizen at age 15, according to Senate records. In 2017, Ellis compared her own swearing in as a new citizen to that of 117 United States citizens she swore in.

“Thirty years ago, I took this very same oath. I am an immigrant just like you,” she said at the time. Ellis then asked a new citizen from Syria to lead the Pledge of Allegiance as the group rose and placed their hands over their hearts.

Ellis remembered the “very hot, cramped immigration office” in Indianapolis as she stood next to her brother and sister. Giving her oath of allegiance to the US was an extremely powerful experience for her, she said.

“I was moved by those words then, and I continue to be moved by those words 30 years later,” she said.

At the time, Trump had issued an executive order banning travel from seven countries and all refugees from entry into the US. Although Ellis hadn’t mentioned Trump by name, her message had a clear target audience.

“There are very negative things that have been said and negative opinions that have been voiced,” Ellis said at the ceremony. “I want you to know and believe in your heart that you are welcome here.”

Ellis ‘dispenses justice with patience and firmness’

As a judge, Ellis has ruled on a wide range of issues, from public health to voter registration records.

“What stands out about Judge Ellis as a judge is the kindness, compassion, and humanity that she routinely displays through her rulings and interactions with litigants,” Ziegelmueller said.

Safer said Ellis “dispenses justice with patience and firmness. She decides.” He added Ellis was never on the “Biden list,” which refers to federal judges who have a significant number of case motions pending for long periods.

“She controls her courtroom not by demanded obedience – although she will do so if necessary – but by commanding respect,” Safer said, adding she has an “iron will.”

One notable case in 2020 involved a lawsuit by the Illinois Republican Party. Ellis denied a motion for an injunction against Gov. JB Pritzker’s executive order that placed gathering size restrictions on political parties, finding the state was not treating political parties differently from other similar groups.

In 2024, a case brought by Judicial Watch sought access to Illinois voter registration records and to remove allegedly ineligible voters. Ellis dismissed part of the case for lack of standing. The case is ongoing, with the only remaining claim alleging Illinois failed to make reasonable efforts to remove ineligible voters due to a change of residence.

Since 2023, Ellis has served as a board member of the Federal Judicial Center, the research and education agency for US federal courts. Ellis has also been a key player in the court’s reentry program, Safer said.

Ellis’ ruling ‘will be measured and it will be sound’

As Trump intensifies his immigration crackdown during his second term, Ellis’ rulings regarding the Chicago-area protests have received sharp criticism from the administration.

“DHS will continue to oppose all efforts to vilify law enforcement and prop up the cause of violent rioters,” Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told The Associated Press after Ellis indicated in court her temporary restraining order would be expanded to require agents wear body cameras during immigration enforcement. “Were a court to enter such an order in the future, that would be an extreme act of judicial activism.”

Ellis declined to be interviewed for this story.

The controversial immigration operation in Chicago has resulted in more than 3,000 arrests since it began in September and has drawn legal challenges from plaintiffs who accuse federal agents of shooting pepper balls and tear gas at demonstrators.

Ellis last week told Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino he must be in court daily for a week as she considers reports federal agents were not following her order to limit aggressive tactics and warn protesters and journalists before using tear gas and less-lethal munitions. Bovino had been ordered to appear in court after plaintiffs accused him of throwing a tear gas canister into a crowd of demonstrators without justification or warning – a characterization DHS has rebutted.

But the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday wiped away Ellis’ order mandating check-ins, saying she had overstepped her authority.

The Trump administration argued Bovino having to appear before Ellis would be “extraordinarily disruptive” and “irreparably harming the government.”

A hearing to determine whether Ellis should convert her temporary restraining order into a longer-lasting preliminary injunction is scheduled for Wednesday.

It’s unclear how the case will go moving forward, but Safer says Ellis’ ruling “will be measured and it will be sound.” She will take the time to gather the facts and rule based on what is right under the law without dragging the case out, Safer expects.

“If the federal government thinks they can trifle with her and her orders, it is because they brought in people from Washington who do not know her. If the plaintiffs think she will go outside the law to protect people just because her heart goes out to them, they will be disappointed,” Safer said.

“If Mr. Bovino thinks he is tougher than she is, he will find that he is sadly mistaken.”

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CNN’s Andy Rose, Bill Kirkos, Josh Campbell, Whitney Wild, Andi Babineau, Cindy Von Quednow, Amanda Musa, Hanna Park, Danya Gainor, Graham Hurley, Devan Cole, Rebekah Riess and Elizabeth Wolfe contributed to this report.